Severus Snape and the Blood Curse
by The Upstairs Corner
Summary: Severus Snape expects a quiet summer. However, with the appearance of an old friend and a small boy, the Potions Master is caught up in an adventure that could change his life. T to be safe
1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

September 15th, 1981

The drinking had started out with the simple toast of "Here's to Moody" and escalated to toasting anyone, and everyone, who had been wronged, died, or hurt in any way during the war with Voldemort. Dumbledore understood the sentiment, and watched as the young men drank themselves into an even deeper pit; doubting he could stop them at this point. The last few months had been hard on all of them. The prophecy, Lily and James going into hiding in order to keep themselves and their son alive, Alice and Frank Longbottom being tortured, the threat of a spy in their midst…It was enough to drive even the strongest men to drink; Remus and Sirius being no exception. Tonight had been the breaking point. Death Eaters hunting down and killing Aurors one by one in the middle of the night was just too much. Dumbledore brought a weary hand to his forehead and rubbed at the furrow of frustration building between his eyes.

The young men had drink and the old men were left with their regret. In the end, both ended up with headaches.

The new office was smaller than the last and the smell of alcohol easily permeated the air around him. This had been the third location the Order of the Phoenix had found in the last four months. Fear of the spy within their own ranks had kept them moving from place to place and Dumbledore was sure that he would not miss the latest headquarters. The office was the only room in the abandoned building he could charm into staying warm. The last owners had been on the end of Voldemort's wrath, and apparently had some blood-tie to the house. With the Willington family buried in the churchyard down the road, the house was cold, seeping loneliness, and dejectedness. He'd never felt such emotions from a house before and wondered if there was something that he could do to help the place heal. It would have to wait until after all this unpleasantness was over and done with for good, but when he did have time, it would be a form of healing for himself as well.

The door opened slightly, shaking him from his thoughts, and Hawk Lupin took a step into the room. He smiled at her tiredly as she nodded in acknowledgement to his greeting. Sending a tired look over at the drunken snicker that greeted her, Hawk shook her head and turned her attention to the fire. She walked over to the hearth and stroked the mantle.

"He'll live," she spoke without looking up from the fire. "Lost the leg, but that was at his own demand."

Dumbledore let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Alastor Moody had taken a bite from Voldemort's snake that should have killed him, had he not shot himself up with anti-venom and every other anti-curse potion he had on hand before they came for him. A leg in comparison to a life was much more agreeable in his mind. If anyone could cope with such an injury, it was Alastor. Dumbledore glanced over at Hawk and wondered if he should worry more over Moody's protégé than Moody himself.

Hawk was the only student to come out of Hogwarts with an invite right into the Auror program by Alastor Moody himself. Less than six months into training, she was assigned to him. Now three years later, Hawk was working solo, but the relationship between the two was closer than most parents to their own children.

"I'm sure he'll be fine, Hawk," Dumbledore assured her and she nodded.

"He always is. But when I get my hands on that snake, there won't be enough of it left to even make a good belt."

It was a promise; there was no doubt of that. There was a drunken chuckle causing Dumbledore to look over at Remus and Sirius. They were still passing the bottle between them, quietly, for the most part. What was this war doing to his children?

"Dumbledore?" a knock came from the door, and Severus Snape popped his head into the room.

"Severus," Dumbledore greeted.

"Slime…" Sirius growled.

"Git…." Remus put in with a small giggle that had them both laughing on the floor.

"Both of you – can it," Hawk ordered, and Snape threw her a small smile.

"To Moody's leg!" Sirius barked and Remus raised the bottle to his lips in salute.

Hawk stiffened and turned to them with anger in her eyes, but both ignored her, and Snape laid a hand on her shoulder.

"They're drunk," he reminded her and she nodded, still not looking happy.

"Severus?" Dumbledore asked, hoping he would get to why he was here.

"Gregory wants to speak with you downstairs. He has some information you asked for," he answered and Dumbledore sighed.

It was never easy running this group of young people, but some nights he wished he were as young as they were just so he wouldn't feel so old. He nodded and got up from his chair by the fire. He looked over his shoulder before leaving the room and silently prayed that this would all be over soon. Snape waited until he left before lifting his hand off Hawk's shoulder, looking down at the dark blood that had stained his palm.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, and she moved away from him a few paces, the answer clear as day in her actions.

"I'll do. Nothing that salve you gave me won't fix," she assured him with a tired smile.

Normally, he would have pressed the matter, but with everything that had gone on that night and Moody's injury still fresh in everyone's mind, he trusted that she knew what she was doing and hoped she had enough salve left. He chided himself for worrying. It would do no good to try and act like her parent when the closest thing she had to one had nearly died tonight.

"To Moody's Nose!" Sirius slurred and Remus chuckled.

"And what are we to do about the pair of them?" Snape asked.

"I'd normally say let them sleep it off here, but with everything going on, it'll be better to get them home where they won't be underfoot," she answered.

"Think you can handle both of them?" he asked, eyeing the drunks, and knowing they were going to be as listless as dead fish.

"I've been doing this since we turned fourteen." She shook her head tiredly. "But if you want to take Remus, I would be appreciative."

Snape was quick to note she had taken his enemy, and put him in charge of her family. She was very intuitive that way.

"Come on, cousin," she coaxed Remus to open his eyes. "Time to get you home."

"Home?" He swayed.

"Yeah, home," she answered with a smile. "You want to take him first?"

"No, I'll help you get Black out of here first," Snape answered.

She glanced back at where Snape was eyeing Sirius with distaste. He sent her a tired look she smirked at before letting him help pull Sirius to his feet.

"L'emme go," he ordered, pushing Snape away weakly.

"He's just trying to help," Hawk pointed out.

"Don' need his kind," Sirius spat and slurred at the same time.

"And you wonder why no one but James and Remus will put up with you." She shook her head and pulled him towards the fire.

"And Peter!" He told her.

"And Peter," she conceded.

"Why do you hate me, Birdie?" Sirius asked, almost sounding lucid. "I don't hate you."

His grey eyes looked sober for a moment, and Hawk considered answering him honestly before her usual answer dripped from her mouth.

"Because you're a pig," she answered and looked over at where Severus was sitting again. "This could take a while. Don't wait up."

"Yeah…Slime ball." Sirius staggered a little causing both of them to sway.

"I'll see you at the meeting in three days," Snape replied, ignoring Black. "Are you sure you don't need help?"

She was shaking under Sirius' weight, and she looked about dead on her feet, but she still managed to shake her head at Snape and walked into the fireplace with a hand full of floo powder.

"This was easier when we were fourteen," she replied and Snape smiled slightly.

And with that, Hawk Lupin disappeared into the night, and Severus Snape left the warm, but far too empty office with Remus Lupin passed out on his shoulder. Then he knew he would be in search of a drink and his own bed without another care in the world. Little did he know how such a simple decision as which drunk to take home would affect the rest of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

June 1985, Snape Manor

If there was one thing in the world Severus Snape couldn't stand, it was having someone look over his shoulder as he wrote. The owl was no exception. As soon as he felt the rush of wind and heard the flutter of feathers, his hand stopped scrawling across the paper and he turned to look at the bird. It was your average post owl that worked on a by-delivery basis. So he wasn't surprised he didn't recognize it. The bird fluttered over to the table and held out its leg patiently as the potions master unwound the corded message. The bird was off and away through the open window in the next moment and he was left to the quiet of his study. Sighing, he unwound the parchment and frowned at the very familiar writing.

_Severus,_

_I apologize for not having any way for you to get back to me, but it couldn't be helped. I'm back in the country and will be at Snape Manor on the first of July. You can tell me then whether you'd like to see me again or not. _

_ - Hawk_

He frowned at the letter and fingered it lightly. Hawk Lupin. That was one name he was sure he was never going to hear again, not after everything was said and done with the trials that commenced in Voldemort's wake. In the final months of his reign, she'd thrown herself into bringing down as many of his followers as possible. Many regarded this behavior as self-destructive. Others had speculated she was avenging Moody's disability. As a friend, Severus didn't know what to think. Aside from reports given to the Order through Moody, he hadn't seen or heard hide-nor hair of her from that night on. It was as if she and Voldemort were the same person; disappearing at the same time and neither more than whispered about since.

Well, until today that was. As far as Snape knew, Voldemort was not sending out correspondences.

'…_will be at Snape Manor on the first of July…'_

He glanced around the study and found another frown furrowing his brows. Three days was all the time she had given him to order his thoughts, and his home. It wasn't possible. There simply wasn't enough time. One would think that while he was away at the school ten months of the year his home would stay clean. Instead, cobwebs grew, furniture got dusty, the mess from the previous summer never got put away, and Severus had given up on cleaning more than the main rooms he used while he was at the manor for the two months. The grounds were in disarray, as well. Sighing, he wished the house elves were still there so he wouldn't have this problem on his hands.

In all fairness, Hawk most likely knew nothing of the teaching position he had acquired the year before. Dumbledore had approached him at a point in time when his small commission potions business was not doing its best. He had little choice; it was either take the job or start auctioning off the Prince family valuables. And in all honesty, there were worse jobs out there. He could be stuck in the ministry, like Arthur Weasley, and hoping to feed an ever-growing family on wages even a Goblin would not issue. The Ministry was in a sorry state these days, only recently managing to replace most of the staff lost during the war. There still weren't half as many Aurors as there was before the war started, but with the trials settled for the most part, and with things being relatively calm in the world, there wasn't much to keep a larger force busy. In Severus' opinion, should the war start up again; the Wizarding world was not going to fare well.

He glanced at his left sleeve, and reminded himself that the ink was pale and faded, like it had been every day since the Potter child had gotten rid of the Dark Lord. It was silly to assume Voldemort had been killed or that the boy had been the one to dispose of the evil wizard, but until Snape came up with a better idea, he never thought about it and let the rest of the community believe what it would. He knew it wasn't permanent, and he was simply biding his time until Voldemort reared his head again to cause chaos and destruction. Until that day, he planned to bring as little attention to himself as was humanly possible. It was what he did best as a spy.

Moody had once told the Order that a spy was someone that people tended not to notice. Clearly, everyone was surprised when the mole in their order turned out to be Sirius Black, of all people. He would have suspected someone like Pruett, or James Potter himself, over Black. The Gryffindor had betrayed them all, and managed to get James and Lily Potter killed in the process. For this, and blowing up Peter Pettigrew – something his appetite would have managed to do on its own in due time – he was serving the rest of his life in Azkaban. Snape didn't feel any pity for him. After all, Black had gone out of his way to make his life hell for no reason while they were growing up. It was time he got a taste of his own medicine. He could almost see Dumbledore frowning at him and reminding him that the past was behind them. He agreed – the past was behind them, but Karma had a way of ensuring everyone got their just desserts.

Had he been philosophical, Snape may have pondered whether this lonely existence was his punishment for some transgression in another life. But since he was anything but philosophical, he glared daggers at the dusty green velvet drapes that hung in the study. It was going to be a long three days trying to get the estate in any condition to receive visitors.

A visitor. He couldn't recall the last time he had had a visitor. Dumbledore popped in now and again, mainly when he needed something, as did some of his potions clients, but the older man and the unsavory clients didn't count. A visitor was someone you could sit down over tea with and enjoy conversing with until time escaped you and you were making excuses to have them stay for supper. And if Hawk stayed for supper, she should surely stay for the night, for it was not proper for a woman to be traveling in the dark when there were warm lodgings to be had. Perhaps he could even persuade her into remaining for a few days since her letter gave no indication as to how long she intended to visit…

Severus Snape shook his head and chided himself for acting like a first year girl about to attend a slumber party in the Great Hall. Hawk Lupin would come and go as she pleased, just as she had in the past. If she wished to leave and travel in the dark, he dared anything with ill will to attempt her harm. It might even make for an amusing story later on.

Three days.

He had three days to make his home acceptable to visitors. He definitely needed help. Swallowing his pride, Severus scrawled out a quick missive to a client who would be more than happy to sell him a pair of elves – only one elf would not be able to keep up with the manor – and knew his pocketbook was not going to enjoy the hole he was about to put in it.

He growled at himself once it was written and sent. Why did he care what the house looked like? Hawk wouldn't care what the house looked like. He never had never gone out of his way to impress anyone before. But Hawk wasn't anyone.

But all the same, he found himself thinking the table in the kitchen needed to be scrubbed, and the mantle would have to be dusted just in case Hawk still kept up with her old habit of stroking it while she looked into the flames and pondered over something. He sighed; knowing no matter how many times he told himself he didn't care, it would be a lie. This was his best, and quite possibly, his only friend. Three more days and someone who enjoyed his company would be in this home and he wanted everything to be perfect so maybe this meeting would go smoothly. Four years was a long time not to see someone. He could only imagine how much she'd changed and hoped she remained at least somewhat the same.

He looked around the shadowed room and noticed for the first time how very empty the house was in comparison to Hogwarts. This was his sanctuary, though. He was not lonely and he would never admit to being so.

Three days was not going to be enough time. But at the same time, three days wasn't going to be soon enough.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

July the first found a beautiful red haired woman on Severus Snape's front porch, just as expected. She looked up at the massive doors and worried her lip slightly for a moment. It was even more imposing that she remembered. That was just the Snape side of him, she supposed. Severus was never imposing. He was a little foreboding, but an all around welcoming person. Well, welcoming if you were the sort of person he could stand to be around. If you weren't, then he was less than welcoming, but welcoming to everyone else… And that hole she was digging herself into was getting deeper with each passing moment.

Setting down the duffle bag that contained everything they had, she reached a hand forward and knocked on the door. It swung open almost immediately, and the small hand that had been gripping hers tightened in surprise. She squeezed back in reassurance as a little House Elf wearing a pillowcase peered up at them.

"Lupin," she told it.

"Master is expecting. Come in," it directed, picking up the bag and bowing low.

The hand clenched tightly as they walked past the small creature. She had to remind herself that the creature was the same size as the small boy clinging to her pant leg. The Elf had be terrifying. Had she thought of anything beyond the upcoming meeting, she would have picked up the child and held him. But it was right as that thought entered her mind that Severus Snape entered the main entrance way. He was older than she thought he would be, but she knew he hadn't had an easy time of it over the last few years. Despite what he might think, she had kept up with everything going on in the old circles. She could tell by the way he was studying her that he had come to his own conclusions.

"Severus," she greeted.

"Hawk," he replied. "There is tea in the study."

They looked at each other for a moment. He studied her with a raised eyebrow, and she nodded to herself before following along behind him. The shuffling footsteps mirroring her own were not lost on Snape, but he said nothing until he waved her to a seat and sat in his own high-backed chair.

"Who is the child?" he asked, watching as she sat the boy in her lap.

Bright, dark blue eyes, his mother's, studied Severus with a shy gaze under black bangs. The boy was full of childhood chubbiness, and seemed to need something to grasp as he held onto his mother's shirtsleeves. He didn't look afraid, though.

"Rain," the child whispered.

"Full name, love," Hawk prompted gently.

"Rainian Cole Lupin."

"Indeed," Severus answered, sending Hawk a sharp look.

She wasn't paying him any mind. In fact, she was reaching for the tea tray so she could hand the little boy a biscuit. He was still busy studying Severus as he tentatively nibbled his snack.

"Rain, this is Mommy's good friend, Severus Snape."

"Hello, Mr. Snape," he offered.

"He's a Professor," Hawk told him. "He teaches Potions at a school."

The child seemed intrigued, while Severus was rather confused. He never had a child seem interested in him, especially for what he taught. In fact, it was rather the opposite effect when children found out.

"What's a potion?" he whispered, and Hawk smiled.

"I'm not sure you'd understand," she told him gently and he nodded, taking another offered treat from the tray.

"Hawk," Severus said to get her attention. "Perhaps there is something to keep the child occupied?"

"Of course. Rain, you know where the crayons are."

The little boy slipped off her lap, and padded over to the bag. He opened it, watching Severus while he pulled out the crayons and placed them in an orderly fashion on the floor. Grandpa Alastor had told him that vigilance was a must, even if it meant staring. He wasn't sure what vigilance was, but he wasn't going to stop watching the new man. The new man watched him right back before looking over at his mother. He was used to that. People Mommy took him to meet usually cast him from their thoughts after a few minutes. Grandpa Alastor was the only one who didn't think he was to be seen and not heard. He had the impulse to ask his mother when they would see the man again, but this other man didn't need to hear about their plans. So he pulled out the crayons, and looked at his mother expectantly.

"Severus, do you have some parchment handy?" she asked, and the man seemed to be very unhappy about summoning some from the desk.

A moment later found the boy industriously scribbling all over the parchment, while the adults sipped their tea, studying one another more thoroughly.

"You have questions," she stated, sipping her tea calmly.

"Questions I would rather not say in front of the boy."

"Rain is like his father. He gets lost in what he's doing when the people around him are boring."

Severus glanced at the boy again with a frown, trying to pick out features that weren't Hawk's. He had almost surmised he had never met the man when the child's lips quirked into a smile. Damned if he didn't know that smile. It was the same smile that had tormented and taunted him since he was a boy. He glared at Hawk, who was busy watching the small child bite his lip in concentration.

"When?" Severus hissed.

"The night Moody lost his leg," she answered with a pained expression.

"He was drunk, and you're an Auror. Forgive me if that doesn't seem improbable in the least."

She flinched at his sneer, and traced the pattern on her cup for a moment. "You weren't there."

Severus kept his features schooled in a less than believing sneer, and she gave him a look that only spoke worlds of hurt for old wounds. He clearly remembered the blood from her shoulder and the exhaustion in her features. He was loath to admit it, but it was highly likely that Black could have controlled the situation; drunk or not.

_I wanted to be there. You were too stubborn to let me._

"No, I wasn't. However, you do not honor the father by passing on his name," Severus pointed out and she worried her lip for a moment. "That leads me to only one conclusion."

She nodded, and he took a sip of the scalding tea to avoid the curse word on his tongue.

"I can't forgive him. And I won't have my son going through life with the name of a feared criminal – supposedly Voldemort's right hand man. How would that look; Auror mother, mass murdering rapist father? I doubt it could be worse, unless Voldemort was his father."

They both watched the boy for a moment while Severus let his rage surge through his veins. Black deserved worse than Azkaban. He hurt everyone around him. He was a bully of the worst ilk. It wasn't surprising he'd betrayed Potter, and killed all those Muggles along with Pettigrew. He was, after all, working up to it while he was still in school. Severus felt a growl rise in his throat, and cut it off with a curt statement.

"Highly unlikely."

"Thanks," she replied. "I made peace with it a long time ago. Rain is something I didn't know I needed until I had no choice. And besides, Azkaban is no picnic."

Severus wanted to protest that it wasn't enough. But he knew why she thought like that. There was no such thing as rape in the wizarding world. There was just premarital sex – an automatic marriage if a child was conceived. From the way she and Black got along, it was highly probable that they would have had a very unhappy home. Acknowledging the child would have done far much more harm than good.

Severus resisted the urge to rub his temples. This was not what he had imagined when he laboriously had the elves working to get the manor ready for her visit. Perhaps a change of subject would be best for the pair of them.

"Speaking of Azkaban, have you returned in an official capacity?"

"I don't know. Alastor has been trying to wean me back into the lifestyle, but I'm not sure I'm cut out for it anymore."

"You doubt your abilities?" Severus asked.

"No. It's complicated," she sighed. "I only ever worked with three colleagues who had kids. All three are no longer any form of a parent to their boys."

Severus nodded. Alice Longbottom, Frank Longbottom, and James Potter. Potter was dead along with his wife, but the Longbottoms were worse off. He would have to remind Hawk of his request to be killed should he ever be incapable of cognizant thought.

"What would he do if something happened to me?" she asked as she watched the boy color. "Moody would take him and teach him my mistakes, and if not Moody, then I hate to speculate who. I'm not sure what would be worse. Well, losing him would undoubtedly be worse. I don't think I could stand myself without him."

They sat in silence for a few moments. Severus had nothing to say that would be appreciated by the Auror. Somehow the reply of 'You can always have another' did not seem safe. What else did she expect, though? He was never her shoulder to cry on and he resented the position now. It was times like these that he highly regretted his actions during the war. If Lily were alive, she would be handling this, and he would be the friend Hawk would come to when she was in better spirits. Severus heard the little voice in his head insisting she was his shoulder, and pointedly ignored it.

Their quiet was broken with a pop as the house elf entered the room. Rain looked up in shock at the thing, and carefully got to his feet. The elf bowed low to Severus.

"Dinner is served."

Snape nodded, and the elf made as if to disappear again, but when he straightened up he was almost nose-to-nose with the dark haired little boy. The boy was studying the creature, and the elf was studying him right back.

"What is you?" He asked.

"What are you, love," Hawk corrected, and the little boy nodded.

"I is Cricket," it answered. "I is a house elf."

"What does a house elf do?" he asked, looking closely at Cricket's pointed ears.

"House Elves be serving wizards. Cricket serves Master Severus," Cricket explained.

"Grandpa Alastor doesn't have an elf," the boy informed Cricket.

Severus sneered. Alastor Moody keep something that could be a close confident in his own home? Highly unlikely, in this life or any other.

"Cricket and Kissy be serving supper," Cricket reminded. "Cricket go help."

And with that, the elf popped away, and Rain staggered back a few steps before looking at his mother in wonder. She smiled at him and stood.

"You should give creatures their space, incase they are not as friendly as Cricket," she suggested, taking the little boy's hand.

"Why doesn't Grandpa have an elf?"

"Because he doesn't stay in his home long enough," she answered patiently, and the boy nodded.

Severus followed them into the dining room where the table had been shrunk to a more practical size for three people. The setting was green and silver – his mother's handed down to him – and was accompanied by matching green napkins in silver bands. He realized it was far too grown up for a small boy, but these were his specifications when he believed they would be dining as only two. A moment later, Severus was resisting a sigh. Apparently two settings would have been fine since the boy was again in his mother's lap. Severus raised an eyebrow, and Hawk had the good sense to look sheepish.

"The elves set a place for the child," he pointed out needlessly.

"Which was very nice of them, but if it's all the same to you, we've always eaten this way."

He did sigh then, and the child watched him with those blue eyes. It was disturbing to have them scrutinize him so carefully, but he supposed that was something he would have to endure through the meal, and perhaps the following breakfast.

Food appeared on the three plates, and Hawk pulled the far one in front of her as well as that of her son. The small boy picked up his fork and daintily started eating the vegetables on his plate, chewing each bite carefully. Hawk merely watched. Severus helped himself to a few bites while he watched as well. He was impressed by the table manners of the boy, before he used his thumb to catch a bit of gravy before it hit the tablecloth. He was only three, after all.

After the child had finished, Hawk shifted him more to the side and began to eat her own dinner as if she was famished. Severus openly gaped at her, and the child looked back at him as if the fear evoking potions master was a complete and total moron.

"S'not polite," the boy whispered, looking right at him.

It was heard by his mother as well, who straightened up a bit more, and began to eat like a civilized adult.

By the time Kissy had cleared the desert plates, and been openly ogled by the small boy, the sun was sinking. Hawk noticed it, too, and seemed to grow anxious.

"I think it's time we leave. Put away your crayons, love," Hawk instructed.

"You both are more than welcome to spend the night," Severus informed her, and she sighed.

"Listen, Sev, this has been awkward enough without the pair of us staying even longer."

"And you have other accommodations?" he asked with a raised brow.

"It's not hard to find a pub."

"A pub with no security, over this well fortified manor?"

She sighed, resting a hand on the back of a chair as she thought this over. Finally, she looked up and over at where her son was carefully putting each crayon in the pack.

"What do you say, love?" she asked, and the boy looked up.

"He's not nice."

Severus stiffened. Of course he was not nice. He had no intentions of being nice to the boy. What kind of fear instilling professor would he be if he were nice?

"And?" Hawk prompted.

"He would have hexed us at dinner." The boy shrugged.

"The boy has no idea what a potion is, but he understands hexes?" Severus asked with a hint of something appalled in his voice.

"His mother has hexes thrown at her every other week." Hawk shrugged. "Rain thinks we should stay. So I accept. Thank you, Severus."

She sat back down and relaxed slightly in the chair. She looked over at where her son was still carefully putting away his colors. Severus watched for a distraction as well. What was he thinking? Manners not withstanding, there was no possible way he was going to be able to function with a child under his roof. He feared breakfast would not come soon enough.

Half an hour later, Hawk gathered up her son, and was shown to a guest room. Severus did not suggest another bed for Rain and she was grateful. She feared explaining that they shared was not going to be received well. He bid the two of them good night, after she assured him that she was also going to sleep early that evening.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, love?" She asked as she shut the door to their room.

"Are we staying here tomorrow night, too?" He asked.

"No, I don't think so. Severus works hard, and we don't want to take up his time off."

"So why'd we come?" he asked.

Hawk frowned a little as she tugged the boy's shirt over his head. How did one go about explaining this to a child?

"Mommy wanted Severus to know about her life," she answered smoothly. "Four years is a long time not to talk to her dearest friend."

He nodded solemnly as his mother popped into the adjoining room. The sound of running water met his ears and Rain smiled widely. Most three year olds absolutely hated bath time, but for this small boy, a bath was the time when he had the most fun. There were bubbles, and Mommy splashed with him, and his rubber Ducky sometimes even floated if there were bubbles in the water. He didn't think someone as mean as Mr. Severus had bubbles. He poked his head in the room, and watched Mommy add something to the water from a bottle and his smile widened.

"The mean man has bubbles?" He asked, forgetting everything his mother told him about manners.

"No, I suspect you can thank Cricket and Kissy for this addition. Now, out of your clothes and into the bath."

Moments later, Severus Snape was startled from his reading by the sounds of high-pitched squeals of laughter and splashing.

He returned to his book with great difficulty. Tomorrow the child would be gone; he would just have to remind himself of that fact – repeatedly.


End file.
